Blatter backs United fans against Glazer

Fifas president has given his support to the fans opposed to Malcolm Glazers takeover bid for Manchester United. By Matthew Goodman

SEPP BLATTER, the president of football’s world governing body Fifa, has waded into the battle for control of Manchester United, throwing his support behind the supporters who are battling to keep the club out of the clutches of American businessman Malcolm Glazer.

In a letter sent to Shareholders United (SU), the fans’ group that speaks for about 1.5% of the shares of Manchester United, Blatter pledges his “personal support” for the group’s “worthwhile” endeavour and promised that Fifa would consider making a number of SU’s proposals part of the laws of the sport. These include a requirement for football clubs to allow fans to own stakes in teams.

Blatter wrote: “Football has indeed changed over the years, but not all change is for the better, and the continued commercialisation of football, as we can observe it, is one case in point. The good it produces for the few is the